Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Good afternoon, dear people.

I need to hurry to get this off, as I’m running off to Silverton right now to appear before my primary care doctor at 2:45pm. I’ll let her have first shot at troubleshooting my funny pulse.

Blessings on the rest of your day.

Love, Dad/Ray.

During my early school days I was a pretty lousy history student. However, with my increase in years I’m finding myself increasingly interested in history. There seems to be a great deal in the archives of history that is truly “stranger than fiction.” One strange fact of history is the intensity of the HOSTILITY that has and does exist between certain ranks of GENTILES toward JEWS. It is the phenomenon of anti-Semitism. It seems quite clear to me that the nature of the conflict is not rooted entirely in natural human bias or prejudice. There is something that seems sinister and supernatural about it all. The blind diabolical hatred that some GENTILES have had toward the JEWS defies all natural reason. And the fact that JEWS remain a distinct people group after so many attempts down through history to exterminate them also defies natural reason. The basic conclusion I draw is that Satan is very much against the JEWS, and God is very much for the JEWS.

Let’s be reminded that our Christian faith is very much Jewish. It has its origins in God’s dealings with the Jewish people flowing out of His promise to Abraham that He would make of Abraham a massive nation and that all the nations of the world would find blessing through Abraham’s Seed Whom we recognize to be Christ, the Jewish Messiah…but more than that, He is Christ, the Savior of all the world. (I could make a list of supporting scriptures here a mile long but won’t.)

Today’s reading really is a great passage to bring it all together in simple and concise terms. How can we not rejoice in this revelation of God that discloses and defines our Salvation—the fact that we GENTILES have just as much right and opportunity to participate in God’s plan as do the JEWS. Indeed “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Gal 3:28-29). Praise God!